Life cycle performance and associated environmental risks of constructed wetlands used for micropollutant removal from municipal wastewater effluent

Brunhoferova, Hana; VENDITTI, Silvia; HANSEN, Joachim; Gallagher, John

doi:10.1016/j.cesys.2023.100162

Article (Scientific journals)

Life cycle performance and associated environmental risks of constructed wetlands used for micropollutant removal from municipal wastewater effluent

Brunhoferova, Hana; VENDITTI, Silvia; HANSEN, Joachim et al.

2024 • In Cleaner Environmental Systems, 12, p. 100162

Peer reviewed

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https://hdl.handle.net/10993/59827

DOI
10.1016/j.cesys.2023.100162

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Keywords :

Activated carbon; Constructed wetlands; Environmental risk assessment; Life cycle assessment; Micropollutants; Constructed wetland; Environmental performance; Environmental risks; Life-cycle performance; Micropollutant removals; Removal from municipal wastewaters; Treatment performance; Environmental Engineering; Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment; Environmental Science (miscellaneous); Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Abstract :

[en] Wastewater treatment systems produce environmental impacts in their construction and operation, and nature-based treatment processes offer opportunities to reduce the environmental burdens. Constructed wetlands represent such a solution that can remove micropollutants from municipal effluent. This study evaluates life cycle impacts and environmental risk of constructed wetlands for improved treatment performance. The assessment of laboratory- and pilot-scale installation performance provides insights into sustainability of scaling fundamental research to technology demonstration. The normalised life cycle assessment showed that the laboratory installation generated higher environmental impacts than the pilot, due to the cooling tank and its associated electric power (∼60% of the total burdens for five impact categories). The avoided environmental impacts through the micropollutants' elimination ranged from 50% to 99.9% (for freshwater ecotoxicity and human toxicity, respectively). A sensitivity and uncertainty analysis highlighted how the substrate and electricity demands represented the highest environmental impacts, thus extending lifespan of a full-scale system whilst maintaining treatment performance represents the most notable opportunity to improve the environmental performance. The findings support measures to enhance sustainability through design, procurement and operation stages of development. Constructed wetlands represent a sustainable nature-based form of wastewater treatment, and this study offers lessons to further enhance their environmental performance.

Disciplines :

Chemical engineering

Author, co-author :

Brunhoferova, Hana ; Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

VENDITTI, Silvia ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) > Department of Engineering (DoE)

HANSEN, Joachim ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) > Department of Engineering (DoE)

Gallagher, John ; Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

External co-authors :

yes

Language :

English

Title :

Life cycle performance and associated environmental risks of constructed wetlands used for micropollutant removal from municipal wastewater effluent

Publication date :

March 2024

Journal title :

Cleaner Environmental Systems

ISSN :

2666-7894

eISSN :

2666-7894

Publisher :

Elsevier Ltd

Volume :

Pages :

100162

Peer reviewed :

Peer reviewed

Focus Area :

Sustainable Development

Development Goals :

6. Clean water and sanitation

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2666789423000569?httpAccept=text/xml

Name of the research project :

R-AGR-3384 - INTERREG-NWE WOW - part UL (07/03/2018 - 31/12/2023) - HANSEN Joachim

Funders :

Interreg North-West Europe [FR]
Interreg Greater Region

Funding number :

NWE619

Funding text :

This work was partially funded by Interreg North-West Europe (European Regional Development Fund) as a part of the WOW! Project (Wider business Opportunities for raw materials from Wastewater) [grant NWE619].

Data Set :

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2023.100162

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